Resources for contamination control

Advice for Measuring Oil Filter Life

2012-02-08T10:52:49-06:00

"We have a filter that appears to have been in service for nearly two years without any indication of blocking. Is this normal?"

While contaminant ingression varies according to environmental and production/maintenance activity, some filter manufacturers specify a life of six months. It is generally a good strategy to take an upstream and downstream particle count to ascertain if the filter is still working properly. If not, replace the element.

Consider the maintenance history and try to establish an average life for previous elements, as this will give some indication if two years is abnormal.

However, there are a number of ways in which the filter may fail without tripping the indicator, and this may lead the unwary to believe the filter is a good value. Without

How to Evaluate Oil Filters

2012-02-02T11:51:27-06:00

This 8-minute, 22-second video explains what you need to know to evaluate oil filters. Learn important terms such as pore size, porosity, flow rate and differential pressure, as well as the different filter types and when each is used. Find out how the various rating systems are determined, why efficiency is critical, how to compare filters, what to watch out for, precautions to take when you increase filtration, and much more.

7 Steps to Protect Gearboxes from Moisture

2012-01-27T16:21:52-06:00

"Our gearboxes operate in a humid environment. Is there any way we can effectively protect against moisture ingress?"

Common sense is the key to success. The following seven steps should help:

1. Educate maintenance staff to avoid direct jetting of water at ingression points such as shaft seals and breathers, etc.

2. If water spray is inevitable, use passive shields and deflectors to avoid direct water spray on shafts, dipsticks, fill-caps, breathers, etc.

3. Use high-performance seals that suffer less wear and offer better protection against contaminants.

4. Regularly inspect and maintain gaskets on fill-caps, hatches, etc.

5. Replace dipsticks with level indicators.

6. Keep hatches closed tight.

7. Replace a

Extending Oil Service Life

2012-01-25T09:10:00-06:00

"Can I expect a synthetic engine oil to extend the service life above that of a mineral oil? Also, can the service life of oil be extended by increasing sump capacity? For example, if we double the sump capacity, can we then expect the service interval to be doubled or is there a ratio?"

Synthetics can have extended drain intervals. However, the factor at which the extended drain would be assumed depends on many factors, including contamination control and exclusion, typical operating conditions of the vehicle, temperature, etc.

A larger sump equates to more additives and detergents for the same engine. Therefore, a larger sump will extend the service life. Assuming all conditions are the same, twice the oil in the sump should provide twice the service life.

Can Filters Remove Additives?

2012-01-18T08:54:27-06:00

"Is there a risk of altering a lubricating or hydraulic oil with 1-micron or submicron filters? For instance, could they reduce the EP additives?"

There are several ways to strip additives from lubricants. Polar aggregate separators (for example, activated alumina), vacuum or thermal dehydration, centrifugation and absorbent depth filtration all present some risk. However, with careful planning, the risk can be minimized and the benefit of contamination control maximized.

There are some classes of additives that certainly can be removed with fine depth media filtration. Many types of lubricants have defoamant additives. These are semisolid suspensions in the 5- to 10-micron range and are filterable.

Efficient 1-micron filters can potentially remove EP (sulfur and

Humidity Saturation Limits of Hydraulic and Lubrication Fluids

2012-01-09T11:27:49-06:00

In order to ensure the required plant availability, it is necessary to regularly check the degree of contamination due to solid particles and to monitor the water content in non-aqueous lubricants. Sensitive applications and components are often classified according to their tolerable limit of water content in milligrams/kilograms (mg/kg) or parts per million (ppm).

In the laboratory, this value is usually measured by the Karl Fischer method. The result is the sum of free and dissolved water. However, water only causes damage if it is free. Dissolved water is not a problem. Each lubricant contains dissolved water. Without knowledge of the respective limit of solubility (saturation) of the fluid in use, it is not possible to interpret the results from the Karl Fischer method. Thus, using proper measurement methods and determining the individual limit of solubility for water are important preconditions to implement modern maintenance strategies.

Free Water and Its Consequ

Know When to Change Filters

2012-01-05T08:45:22-06:00

"Is the filter blockage indicator the optimum change point for the element?"

No, this is not necessarily the best indication, although it is better than ignoring the indicator. For example, keep in mind that a rupture in the filter media will not be indicated by an increase in pressure drop. If a cleanliness target is set, and this is regularly monitored by a particle counting program, then change the filter when the cleanliness target is exceeded.

However, ensure that this is actually the cause of the problem by taking upstream and downstream counts, as well as ensuring the target has not been exceeded because of other ingression sources such as a failed breather.

Also, consider monitoring the differential pressure rather than just watching the indicator, as exper

Contamination of Biobased Hydraulic Oils with Mineral Oil

2011-12-29T09:06:49-06:00

During the last decade, demand for biobased hydraulic fluids has increased, especially for applications in mobile equipment and in close-to-water stationary installations like movable bridges. Motivation for the change comes both from users being more conscious about environmental risks and from government policies to create new markets for agricultural products.

One of the major obstacles in this market conversion is the sensitivity of biobased ester fluids or biodegradable fluids (bio-oils) to contamination with traditional mineral hydraulic oils. Typical situations involve either incomplete flushing during conversion from mineral oil to bio-oil or lack of attention during maintenance and refilling. This has been motivation to analyze the contamination effects in more detail.

Effects of Contamination

With mineral oil contamination levels reaching several percent, problems like excess foam generation, poor air release or filter clogging have been reported d

What Causes a Short Life for Gear Oil?

2011-12-27T10:49:11-06:00

"About a year ago, we ran a lubricant too long in a high-duty gearbox, and it oxidized and threw sludge. Since then, we've been watching the oil more closely with oil analysis. My problem is that we are now seeing acid numbers increase and oil darken after only one month of service. The lubricant used to last a full year. We keep changing the oil, but the problem just repeats. Why does our gear oil have such a short life?"

It sounds like the gearbox was not thoroughly flushed after the oil oxidized the first time. Sometimes a simple drain will leave more than 15 percent of the old oil behind, occluding to machine surfaces and becoming trapped within the casing. This also leaves behind a host of reactive chemicals (pro-oxidants) that rapidly deplete antioxidant additives, leaving th

Sources of Silicon in Oil

2011-12-19T16:16:39-06:00

"What are the possible sources of silicon in oil?"

Silicon is measured by oil analysis labs to determine dirt ingression. More often than not, high silicon readings indicate dirt. However, there are several other possible sources. The four most common are:

1. Defoamant Additive — Many oils contain defoamants based on polymeric methyl silicone. Because silicone contains the element silicon, the presence of this kind of additive will show a positive silicon reading in spectrometric analysis. The typical levels of silicon seen under these conditions are around 1 to 10 ppm.

2. Silicone-based Sealant — Many sealants used for industrial and mobile applications are silicone-based. The level of silicon observed wil

Pre-Flush for Better Oil Samples

2011-12-19T06:58:26-06:00

It is important to recognize that the amount of tubing, the size of the sample port and the volume of static oil in relation to the location of the sample port can all disturb the overall quality of the sample. For an effective, data-rich sample, appropriate pre-sample flushing volumes should be included in sampling procedures and should be specific for each individual sample port. The industry rule of thumb is to pre-flush six to 10 times the total volume of static oil in a sample tube, port, port adapter and any dead legs of pipe in the systems upstream of the sample port location.

Upgrade to a High-efficiency Filter

One of the biggest culprits for letting dirt into hydraulic and oil reservoirs is the air breather. Many systems come with a st

Fluoramics Introduces Rust-inhibiting Lubricant

2011-12-16T09:54:13-06:00

Fluoramics Inc. has developed a rust-inhibiting lubricant that is solvent-free, non-aerosol-based and odor-free. HinderRust is a multi-use product that is designed to extend the life of equipment by keeping it moving and rust-free. The lubricant can benefit any industry that employs machinery and tools, including manufacturing and maintenance, mining, automotive, offshore drilling, farming, marine, construction/ grading/excavation, transit and light rail.

Frank Reick, the inventor of HinderRust, is the original developer of Tufoil, which has been called "the world’s most efficient lubricant" by the Guinness Book of World Records. HinderRust uses the technology from Tufoil to lubricate any working, moving parts, such as motors, joints and bearings.

In addition to gett

Why Oils Should Not Be Mixed

2011-12-12T12:14:41-06:00

"Is it all right to mix an R&O hydraulic oil with an AW hydraulic oil in a hydraulic application?"

Mixing oils with different additive packages is never recommended. Doing so could compromise the additive performance of both constituents, cause corrosion of component surfaces and lead to increased mechanical wear. Trending of some oil analysis properties also will be compromised.

In a pinch, if the oils are the same viscosity, you may be able to get away with mixing for a short time. If you must mix the oils or live with an accidental mixture until the next scheduled outage, take the following precautions:

1. Visually inspect for signs of sludge, poor demulsibility and foaming.

2. Increase the frequency of oil analysis to spot abnormal

Colfax Announces Acquisition of COT-PURITECH

2011-12-08T11:42:47-06:00

Colfax Corporation, a global leader in fluid-handling solutions for critical applications, has announced the acquisition of COT-PURITECH, headquartered in Canton, Ohio, for a purchase price of $34 million with potential additional contingent payments subject to the achievement of certain performance goals.

A national supplier of oil flushing and remediation services to refinery and petrochemical operators, power-generation plants and other industrial manufacturing sites, COT-PURITECH expands Colfax's Total Lubrication Management services offering, particularly for the global oil and gas market. In 2010, COT-PURITECH realized approximately $20 million in revenues.

"We are excited to welcome COT-PURITECH to the Colfax family," said Clay H. Kiefaber, Colfax president and CEO. "This is an important acquisition for Colfax, as the addition of COT-PURITECH's oil-flu

How to Determine if Wrong Oil Has Been Added

2011-11-30T11:52:48-06:00

"We suspect that a small amount of an electrohydraulic control (EHC) phosphate ester fluid was added to a reservoir containing a polyalphaolefin (PAO) synthetic. What is the best way to figure out if this has in fact happened?"

For oils that have wildly different base stock chemistry, the simplest method is usually Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). FTIR looks for functional groups in the oil sample. These functional groups act as molecular fingerprints to identify different components in the oil, as well as common contaminants such as water, fuel and glycol.

In the case of phosphate ester contamination of a PAO, you would be looking for a peak in the FTIR spectrum around the 1,700 to 1,800 wave number corresponding to the phosphate functional group. Because this

How to Use Filter Carts Properly

2011-11-16T10:31:02-06:00

"We have four portable filter carts that are used to regularly filter the four different lubricants in our plant (each is a different viscosity grade). Although each cart is properly labeled and a different color, we are still having cross-contamination problems. Any suggestions?"

When used properly, filter carts can be vital to the reliability of a process. Although filter carts are often used for any fluid needing filtration regardless of chemical make-up and viscosity grade, this is a practice that should be avoided. These carts are rarely flushed out adequately between uses.

The best place to combat misuse of your filter carts is to start with the design. When possible, specify that a manual filter bypass valve is plumbed into the circuit. This will allow you to bypass t

Why You Should Trend Water Contamination

2011-11-14T16:20:12-06:00

"Our monthly oil analysis reports have shown that a few of our systems have between 400 and 500 ppm of water consistently. The OEM has told us that water levels less than 500 ppm are OK for this system and that we shouldn't worry about it. What level of water is acceptable for hydraulic systems and hydraulic fluid?"

The short answer to this question is that there is no acceptable level of water in a hydraulic system or hydraulic fluid. Any amount of water will have an effect on the chemical properties of the lubricant and the metal surfaces of the components and reservoir. Simply stated, the degree of damage to the oil and to the machine depends upon how much water is present and for how long.

The long answer is more complex. Additives used in some hydraulic fluids, in pa

Schroeder Introduces Spin-On Filter

2011-11-11T09:11:08-06:00

Schroeder Industries has introduced a new spin-on filter for return-line applications. The SAF1 Series is a low-pressure top-ported spin-on filter with an all-steel housing design for increased strength and greater safety. It is suitable for mining, machine tool, power generation, forestry and paper mill applications.

The SAF1 features a machined steel head and is currently offered with the porting option SAE ¾-inch straight thread. Other threading options are available upon request.

An integrated bypass valve with optional Dirt Alarm indicators enables operators to identify the appropriate time to change the element. The filter comes with the standard “P” size spin-on element in 10- and 25-micron Excellement ZMedia or in 10-micron cellulose media.

For more informati

New Metalworking Fluid Filtration Benefits Machine Tool Systems

2011-11-09T09:39:11-06:00

A new metalworking fluid filtration technology can help companies operating machine tools to achieve extended tool life, improved component quality, reduced maintenance and spare parts costs. The new technology comes from Fluid Maintenance Solutions Ltd., which was recently chosen as the sole United Kingdom agent for its IFDR range of advanced metalworking fluid filtration solutions for machine tools and grinding systems.

The design of the IFDR systems offers manufacturers the opportunity to increase productivity and reduce environmental impact whether as a retrofit or part of a turn-key installation. At the heart of the systems lies an element-less filter and a tramp oil separator, which guarantee a clean fluid is returned to the machine tool to meet the demands of high-performance machining and grinding operations.

The cleaner a metalworking fluid being delivered to the cutting zone, the greater the machining performance and the lower the cost per part. This is the pri

Tips for Reaching Contamination Targets

2011-11-08T09:45:57-06:00

"We are experiencing problems in reaching our contamination targets on gearbox lubrication oil systems. Finer filters have been recommended on the filter carts. Is this a good idea?"

Before upgrading filtration, be sure to eliminate factors that could cause poor particle count results. Ask yourself the following questions:

* Are your samples being drawn correctly?

* Are the supplied bottles sufficiently clean for your targets?

* If you are using a particle counter onsite, is it calibrated?

* Are there solid suspensions such as EP additives (moly, graphite, boron, etc.) in your lubricant?

Next, you need to identify the cause of elevated particle counts by answering these subsequent questions:

* Do you

Prevent Engine Wear with Air Filtration

2011-11-04T11:06:14-05:00

"I run a fleet of heavy-duty trucks and have learned much about the importance of keeping engine oil clean. My question is how relevant is intake air cleanliness."

On a volume basis, diesel engines can use more than 20,000 times more air than fuel. Airborne dirt is abrasive to engine components, and therefore efficient air filtration is vital in avoiding premature engine wear.

In particular, turbocharger compressor blades are eroded by airborne dirt. This results in reduced efficiency causing engine power loss, increased fuel consumption and higher exhaust emissions.

Quality air-filtration systems are designed to trap most harmful dirt, but regular attention is required to assure efficient filtration without causing air restriction and intake system leaks.

Controlling Lubricant Degradation with Nanoporous Materials

2011-11-01T13:08:12-05:00

Lubricant antioxidants traditionally have attempted to halt the chain-reaction mechanism of oxidation by targeting two key points — radical scavenging and peroxide decomposition. With increasing requirements for performance, lower costs and strict environmental demands, there is an increasing interest in environment-friendly oil formulations. While using traditional antioxidant additives in lubricants leads to an improved overall performance, it comes at the expense of higher costs and environmental concerns.

Materials based on molecular sieves are envisioned as effective, environmentally safe, economical and reusable alternatives to traditional antioxidant additives. These nanoporous materials can be engineered to capture oxidized byproducts and residual water produced during the early and late stages of lubricant degradation.These materials possess tailored porosity along with a variable morphology. Therefore, they can be considered as a trapping s

How Filter Quality Affects Oil Analysis

2011-10-27T16:46:06-05:00

"How does the quality of a filter impact oil analysis results (contamination and ferrous wear)? Is it correct to say that using filters with different beta ratios in the same equipment will result in different analysis results? Is there any correlation in setting alarm levels and filter beta ratios?"

The quality of the filter is directly proportional to the cleanliness and wear rate of the system. The higher the beta for the same micron pore size will result in a faster cleanup rate. Thus, it is better able to control ingression of solids in the system. The main system ingression sources typically are seals, breathers and oil top-ups, and wear debris. When catalytic wear metals are removed from the oil, the lubricant will experience longer oxidative life.

Therefore, expect

Is Too Much Filtration a Bad Thing?

2011-10-24T10:29:48-05:00

"A customer of ours is using an external engine oil filtration device designed to remove contaminants down to the 1- to 3-micron range while not affecting the additive package. The customer now believes he can extend the recommended oil change interval from 250 hours to 1,000 hours. My question is if you remove all the normal wear particles, how can you determine or trend the wear in the engine."

By sampling after the pump and before the filter, we can still see an increased rate of wear generation with oil analysis.

By reducing the background level of wear particles (noise), it is comparatively easier to detect the abnormal generation of wear particles assuming, of course, that the sample is drawn after the pump but before the filter.

You will also need to set al

Lubricant Analysis in Steam Turbines

2011-10-18T16:13:29-05:00

Turbine oils are subjected to a wide range of conditions - extreme heat, entrained air, moisture, contamination by dirt and debris, inadvertent mixing with different oil, etc. - that degrade the integrity of the hydrocarbon base stock and deplete the additive chemistries, causing irreversible molecular changes. There are two primary degradation mechanisms in turbine applications - oxidation and thermal degradation.

Oxidation is a chemical process where the oxygen reacts with the oil molecules to form a number of different chemical products, such as carboxylic acids. The rate at which this occurs depends on a number of factors. Temperature is perhaps the most critical one, since the rate of oxidation doubles for every rise of 10 degrees C. The temperature above which this occurs is influenced by the oxidation stability of the oil and the presence of catalysts and pro-oxidant conditions such as water, air, certain metals, fluid agitation and pressure.

The

Justifying the Cost of Excluding a Gram of Dirt

2011-10-18T10:05:34-05:00

For years Noria has been saying, “The cost of excluding a gram of dirt is probably only about 10 percent of what it will cost you once it gets into your oil.” Recently, a Noria training client asked us to document proof of this statement.

It reminds me of a widely used quote from Benjamin Franklin: “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” Or another familiar one: “Pay me now or a whole lot more later.” Proactively investing in reliability and machine wellness is very often challenged by the need to justify. Management is always asking for financial analysis and to “make the business case.”

Conversely, a financial study rarely is produced to obtain funds to repair a failed machine, especially when plant production has stalled. Sadly, I’ve heard maintenance folks say that they’ve quit trying to propose proactive measures to management. They claim it’s easier to just let the machines fail.

Puradyn Issued Patent for New Filtration Technology

2011-10-07T08:28:20-05:00

Puradyn Filter Technologies Incorporated has announced that it has been granted a patent (U.S. Patent #8,002,973) for a new filtration technology. This new technology provides the capability of integrating the engine’s oil filter with Puradyn’s bypass micro-filtration product, as well as facilitating the development of “smart” features into an advanced oil filtration system. The technology provides a platform to interface with an engine’s electronic control module, resulting in real-time onboard diagnostic benefits.

Puradyn designs and manufactures a bypass oil filtration system that filters out solid, liquid and gaseous contaminants in engine and hydraulic oil. The product conserves oil and saves money for customers by allowing lube oil to remain continuously clean and, in the case of engine oil, having additives replenished, resulting in safely extending the life of oil for relatively long periods of time.

"This patent, which results

AAR PetroTech to Offer Oil Purification Systems for Airline Industry

2011-09-23T16:06:41-05:00

AAR PetroTech Inc., manufacturer of hydraulic oil purification systems, has announced that it has developed a version of its purification technology to serve the commercial airline industry.

The company’s oil purification systems are currently deployed in the industrial manufacturing sector, which uses mineral-based oils in its hydraulic equipment. Commercial planes use Skydrol, a synthetic fluid that costs considerably more than mineral-based oils, making purification a potentially enormous cost-savings proposition for the airlines.

According to Haig Hachadoorian, director of product development for AAR PetroTech, oil purification can extend the life of hydraulic components by as much as 10 times. The cost-savings benefits are many, from reduced component wear and maintenance costs to the reduction or elimination of new oil purchases and waste oil disposal costs.

“Aviation customers, especially airlines and other aircraft operators, OEMs and MROs,

Water Contamination Remedies

2011-09-19T11:02:40-05:00

“My oil analysis data indicates that there is water in one of my gearboxes. I have put a portable filter cart on the gearbox, but about every three hours the full indicator on the filter pops up. I have changed the filter twice and can’t really detect the presence of that much water. Is it possible that my filter won’t take the water out of the synthetic oil that I’m using?”

If you are using a standard filter for particle removing, then the answer is no, it will not remove water. However, if it is a water-removing type of filter (super-absorbent type), then these are useful for removing small amounts of emulsified and free water after accidental ingress.

If you have significant amounts of water, in excess of say 0.1 percent by volume, you need to address t

Rosedale Introduces New Hydraulic Lube Filter

2011-08-17T14:54:07-05:00

Rosedale Filtration Products has introduced its new 7180 series hydraulic lube filters for oil reclamation and maintenance operations. The 7180 series housings incorporate an eyenut cover that is easily removed, reducing time spent on cartridge change-out. The side-in/side-out piping arrangement is available in 1-, 1½- and 2-inch NPT connection sizes. Housings are electropolished, creating a smooth, easy-to-clean surface. The attached flat bottom makes the housing compact and easy to mount on equipment or on the floor.

With an absolute rating of 0.5 microns and a nominal rating of 100 microns, the 7180 series accepts single 718 or 736 style filter cartridges. They seal on the housing’s elevated pedestal and are retained by a threaded post and cap as

Why Oxidation Cannot Be Filtered

2011-08-16T15:27:17-05:00

“Can you filter out oxidation, and if so, what is the best method? I have heard that oxidation is a permanent chemical change and cannot be filtered out.”

Figuratively, oxidation can be filtered. That is, it can be slowed or reduced through proactive maintenance practices (cleaner, dryer, cooler, etc.).

In reality, oxidation cannot be filtered because it is a chemical aging process driven by catalysts such as high temperature, water, air, metals (in the form of wear debris and contamination) and other contaminants such as fuels and process chemicals. Hence, minimizing the ingress of these will reduce or significantly slow the oxidation rate of the oil, resulting in longer lubricant life.

However, byproducts of oxidation such as acids and fine polar insolub

3 Suggestions for Removing Wear Debris

2011-08-16T15:19:19-05:00

"We are experiencing sleeve bearing failures on a piece of equipment. The main cause of failure is bearing wear due to mechanical misapplication of the equipment. We are not in a position to change the bearing type yet because we have to meet current production demands. Would a simple magnetic plug help to remove 'free' particles of entrained bearing material and slow down the rate of wear until we can correct the root cause?”

Unfortunately, magnetic plugs trap only large ferromagnetic wear debris (typically larger than 100 microns). Non-ferrous particles associated with babbitt used in sleeve bearings would not be removed, nor would ferrous particles (shaft metal, for instance) smaller than 100 microns.

Therefore, wear metal is unlikely to be trapped by a magnetic

3 Reasons Why Lube Oils Fail

2011-08-06T10:09:06-05:00

I’ve been asked recently if it were possible to just clean (filter) an oil, re-additize it and put it back in service. This begs an even better question – why do we have to change oil in the first place? There are several reasons for having to drain and refill a reservoir. The major players are contamination, degradation of the base oil and the loss of specific properties provided by additives.

Contamination

Contamination can be thought of as anything entering the lubricant that is not intended to be there. It can be anything and everything. Examples of external sources are dirt, water and process-related liquids or materials. If these contaminants cannot be removed from the system by means of filtration, dehydration, etc., a more drastic approach will need to be implemented (i.e., an oil change).

A form of contamination that’s often forgotten about is from internal sources. Machine wear and oil degradation byproducts must be treated the sa

Advantages of Bypass Filters

2011-08-01T14:17:25-05:00

“I’ve heard that the addition of bypass filters offers advantages over full-flow filters on diesel engines. What are these advantages?”

Some solid contaminants (dirt, wear particles, etc.) lead to abrasion and wear (rings, liners, cam, bearings, etc). Other contaminants (soot, sludge, oxide insolubles, glycolic compounds, etc.) can contribute to deposition formation in the combustion zone (crown land, ring lands, skirt) and valve area (valve seats/guides) of the engine. These deposits can also contribute to wear and combustion efficiency problems with engines.

Recent studies on the contaminant sensitivity of engines have found all of these solid contaminants to be important to engine reliability and efficient operation (relating to emissions, fuel economy, oil consum

How to Fix a Foaming Problem

2011-07-13T15:11:07-05:00

“We have recently noticed a significant increase in foam in one of our lube systems. A supplier recommended adding an after-market anti-foam agent. Is this a good idea?”

While in some circumstances adding an anti-foaming agent may resolve the issue, it generally is not a good idea to add any after-market additive to a lube system. If foam has traditionally never been a problem but has suddenly started, think about treating not the symptom (the foam), but the cause.

If nothing has changed with the design of the lube system or reservoir, it is likely that this sudden increase in foaming tendency is caused by contamination. Because foam suppression in a lubricating oil is closely related to the air/oil surface tension, any contamination that can result in either an increase in

Nex Flow Unveils X-Stream Liquid Super Separator

2011-06-27T15:17:48-05:00

The new Nex Flow X-Stream Liquid Super Separator uses a unique patent-pending design to remove 99.9 percent of liquid mist (including water and oil mist) from compressed air lines without the need of a replaceable filter element. Standard sizes are 9, 22 and 64 SCFM.

Unlike large upstream separators, these units are designed to be used upstream from an air gun, blow-off product or any device using compressed air and may be used in place of a standard air filter. If micron size is a concern, you can still use a standard water or oil filter, but the replaceable cartridge life will be dramatically extended, as the X-Stream Liquid Super Separator will remove the vast majority of the liquids and mist.

The units come complete with an automatic drain, have extremely minimal pressure loss and are virt

Magnom’s PumpMate Earns Bosch Rexroth Approval

2011-06-20T13:36:33-05:00

The Magnom™ solution to the challenge of removing aggressive microscopic magnetic contamination from hydraulic fluid circuits continues to win favor among the engineering profession.

The company’s PumpMate product has been approved for specification by Bosch Rexroth design engineers. Bosch Rexroth is an acknowledged global leader in industrial hydraulics with more than 500,000 customers worldwide, to whom it supplies standard and custom engineering solutions that are used in everything from lifting bridges and wind turbines to off-road machinery and vehicles.

To maintain its position as a global leader, Bosch Rexroth places stringent requirements on component suppliers. Only when all of its performance and specification requirements are tested and met will Bosch Rexroth give a component such as Magnom’s PumpMate the respected AB Standard seal of approval.

The Magnom PumpMate solves the problem of the microscopic magnetic cont

More Effective Gearbox Oil Changes

2011-06-04T09:36:05-05:00

Air Contamination in Hydraulic Systems

2011-05-30T09:33:28-05:00

Advice for Filtering Gear Oils

2011-05-23T16:45:02-05:00

How to Remove Water from Oil

2011-05-09T09:13:20-05:00

Water in any lubrication system is bad news. In hydraulic systems, it can result in vaporous pump cavitation, corrosion and valve stiction, while in circulating lube oil systems it can cause oil film strength loss, rusting and other serious mechanical problems.

Reducing Gearbox Oil Contamination Levels

2011-03-14T09:44:10-05:00

Oil Storage, Handling and Decontamination Can Decide Program Fate

2011-03-03T11:43:43-06:00

Far too many times, I see plants facing the same challenges over and over. They start at the wrong part of developing a lubrication program. They start by either changing lubricant suppliers, changing greasing intervals and/or changing products, and then hope to see successes and immediate returns on their investments from these emotion-driven changes.

Lubrication excellence is a full-circle game that must be played to its capacity to ensure present and future successes, meaning we must start with determining the right products, address storage and handling flaws, and then work our way to the machines to carry out the actual lubrication task.

Lubrication excellence is not just about lubricating; it is about everything that must go into lubricating properly. This article will discuss some of the main reasons why lubrication programs fail. Namely, it comes down to storage, handling and decontamination.

Readers Administer an Ample Amount of Applicable Advice

2010-12-03T10:38:21-06:00

The “Lube-Tips” section of Machinery Lubrication magazine features innovative ideas submitted by our readers. This edition features helpful tips from lubrication pros at Georgia Pacific, Howe Sound Pulp and Paper, ConocoPhillips, Sun Chemical and Holcim (US).

A Balanced Approach to Lubrication Effectiveness

2010-12-03T09:18:01-06:00

This is the second in a series of articles that illustrate the importance of a holistic effort to manage the root causes of failure and the interaction between non-lubrication-related root causes and lubrication effectiveness.

Increasing Demands Bring Advancements in Oil Filtration

2010-12-03T09:00:36-06:00

Demand for high-performance filter and related products has never been more active. In response to these needs, many new products have emerged that have raised the bar in the filtration market. Jim Fitch highlights some of the most promising ones.

Fluitec Selected as Presenting Company at Cleantech Forum

2010-10-07T14:36:13-05:00

Fluitec, a rapidly growing clean technology company that increases the availability and reliability of industrial rotating equipment through condition monitoring and contamination control, was selected to present at the upcoming Cleantech Forum in New York on October 11-13. The Cleantech Forum New York is an influential event that identifies new opportunities and pitfalls with emerging Cleantech investments.

SKF Oil Conditioning Unit Removes Contaminants, Maintains Temperature Range

2010-08-06T08:59:14-05:00

The SKF Oil Conditioning Unit optimizes lubrication performance by serving as a low-pressure pump filtration unit that circulates the oil in a system. The unit removes contaminants from the oil supply and can enable the desired temperature range to be maintained consistently.

Checklist for Selecting Oil Filter Housings

2010-08-03T21:15:17-05:00

POSSEIDON Project Aims to Create Sensor-based Monitoring for Maritime Lube Systems

2010-08-03T11:14:40-05:00

Lube oil is a critical fluid onboard ship. It is the lifeblood of propulsion and power generating engines, and any quality failure leaves the vessel, its cargo, the community onboard and even the environment at the mercy of the most hostile operating condition on Earth. Precise analysis of engine lube oil can only be performed in shore-based laboratories, and the logistics of the maritime industry leaves operators with unreasonable extended periods between analyses. Over the intervening years, field tests for basic lube oil parameters have been developed in an attempt to bridge this vulnerability gap. Dependent upon the skill and diligence of increasingly undertrained and overstretched crews, the inadequacy of these stop-gap measures is exacerbated as ship engine rooms become ever more automated. While sensor systems have replaced temperature, pressure, fluid level and flow monitoring, lube oil quality remains a void in the engine management system.

10 Applications for Filter Carts

2010-06-15T17:22:08-05:00

Lubrication Superheroes Save the Day at PCA Mill

2010-06-08T15:17:35-05:00

Why Cheap Air and Oil Filters Cost More

2010-05-12T09:24:26-05:00

Most organizations that manage mobile equipment fleets are far too casual about controlling particle contamination in engine oil. They seem to have blind faith in the effectiveness of standard-purchase oil filters and air filters to achieve their reliability objectives. Many don't have a clue how well their filters are performing as evidenced by the fact that they don't set target cleanliness levels for crankcase oils and don't ask their oil analysis labs to report cleanliness levels.

This graphic above helps illustrate the many and compounding ways particle contamination costs fleet organizations real money. The many opportunities for cost reduction are also clear.

1. The process usually begins with organizations pretending to save money by buying cheap oil filters and air filte

10 Pointers for Offline Filtration of High Viscosity Lubricants

2010-04-28T11:02:07-05:00

When selecting filtration for high-viscosity gear oils, you should first determine the optimum target cleanliness level for that specific gearbox and ensure adequate breathers are fitted, as any attempts at cleaning the oil will be lost quickly.
Ensure that for each type of lubricant in use, there is a dedicated filter cart to avoid cross contamination of fluids.
Because filter carts are fluid power-generating devices, ensure they comply with all the safety requirements and have pressure venting safety valves in the event of dead-heading the pump.
Ensure the carts include a by-pass loop to the filters, and incorporate a sampling connector for the use of online instruments or bottle sampling.
The design (pump and filter selection) of filter carts is dependent on two factors; the lubricant's viscosity grade, and the temperature at which the cart will be us

Add Magnets for Cleaner Oil and Handy Visual Inspections

2010-04-14T09:52:55-05:00

Filtering oil with a filter cart has been useful for maintaining target ISO contaminant cleanliness codes. We’ve found that placing a magnet in the filter cart and/or unit, near the inlet before the pump, is also beneficial for removing wear debris and for routine inspections. Place the magnet in a location where it can't interrupt oil flow and ensure the magnet is strong enough to remain in place.

Inspections of the magnet should be compared to the oil sample because oil analysis results may be better due to the magnet capturing metal. If multiple pumps/bearings feed into one lube unit, use a magnet for each return line to determine which one may be wearing out. Consider wearing leather gloves to protect your hands from sharp metal fragments when cleaning the magnet.

The pictures below are from a four roll vertical mill with a 1,000 gallon reservoir. The magnets are in the sight glasses for the return pumps for each of the four rolls. They are about the size o

Addressing Oil Contamination in Paper Machine Applications

2010-04-08T15:32:03-05:00

Oil contaminated by water is a common problem in the recirculating oil systems used on paper machines. This article looks at how contamination may occur and discusses methods for preventing and removing water contamination.

An Introduction

Experience tells us that no bearing lubricant exists that completely protects a bearing against the effects of moisture. Water-contaminated lubricants suffer a range of problems, the most serious being corrosion and lubrication breakdown. Relatively small amounts of water in lubricants can have drastic effects on bearing life.

Experience suggests that contamination levels as low as 0.02 percent (200 parts per million) can have an effect on bearing life. The relationship between contamination and life reduction is, however, non-linear and complex. Factors such as oil type/solubility, additive packages, degree of degradation, etc., all affect the susceptibility of a lubricant to this problem.

Bearings used in the

Lubrication-Related Varnish and Varnish Removal

2010-04-08T10:14:00-05:00

In the world of lubrication, hot topics come and go. Whether it’s synthetic oil, electric motor lubrication or ultrasonic-assisted regreasing, certain themes take on a greater profile from time to time. Lately, the hot topic that I’ve seen and have been asked more questions about than any other is varnish. From compressors to gas turbines, hydraulics to gearboxes, everyone seems to be talking about varnish. But, what is varnish? What causes it? And most importantly, how can it be prevented or eliminated?

In the past few years, significant efforts have been made to try to understand this ubiquitous material. You’ll find numerous articles, case studies and other information on the subject in Machinery Lubrication magazine and Noria’s own Lubrication Excellence conference proceedings. Some of the brightest and most competent lubrication chemists and engineers have studied the issue and done a tremendous job helping to explain

Ban the Can: Sealable, Reusable Oil Containers are Smarter Option

2010-04-08T10:01:39-05:00

The oil can was in need of a major redo years ago. It was grossly outdated in terms of modern views and needs relating to lubrication and machinery reliability. Fortunately, new products sporting highly advanced features have emerged on the market. For clarification, I’ll refer to the historic products as “oil cans” and their modern replacements as S&R containers. S&R is short for “sealable and reusable”.

Despite the obsolescence, the oil can still seems to prevail undeterred in many user organizations like a bad rash. You think it’s finally gone and then it just comes right back. Either these companies that use such archaic products are Neanderthals or they simply do not understand the business case for ditching the old in favor of the new. This column was written to provide a gentle nudge to those who seem to have trouble getting or understanding this important message. In the world of machine reliability, this message is not trivial bu

How to Protect and Preserve Spare Gearboxes

2010-04-02T13:46:05-05:00

Proper storage of spare gearboxes is critical for gearbox reliability. The following methods and illustrations are excerpts from Noria's Fundamentals of Machinery Lubrication training course.

Method 1 – Lip Seals

Spray shaft extensions with a suitable dry film or similar preservative. Some examples include Castrol Rustilo 181, ESSO Rust BAN 397 and Valvoline Tectyl 846.
Pack grease around oil seals to prevent drying and cracking
Fill the gearbox casing completely with oil and seal tightly. Label the gearbox as "FULL – not ready for service"
Allow some space for thermal expansion

Small Pump Oil Change Advice

2010-03-30T22:27:30-05:00

Changing oil in small pumps can be challenging due to the design of the pump housing. There is a cavity in the bottom of the housing that traps water and contaminants. We have started using a small handheld vacuum pump to completely remove the water and/or old oil from this cavity resulting in much cleaner oil with each change-out.

We get 10 additional ounces or more out of the pump using this method versus only opening the drain plug.

Pall Gets Contract to Develop Processes for National Advanced Biofuels Consortium

2010-03-22T15:44:35-05:00

Pall Corporation, a global leader in filtration, separation and purification, on March 22 announced that it has been contracted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop critical filtration and separation processes for a U.S. Department of Energy advanced biofuels project. The contract establishes Pall as a member of the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium (NABC), a federal initiative under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to drive the creation of a domestic biofuels industry, reduce U.S. reliance on fossil fuels and generate jobs.

NTZ Micro Filtration Supplying Bypass Filters to John Deere

2010-03-12T11:19:02-06:00

In its effort to continue reducing customer operating costs, John Deere Construction & Forestry Division’s Service Group has sourced NTZ Micro Filtration as a bypass filter supplier. The announcement was made by Pierre Nieuwland, president and CEO of NTZ Micro Filtration.

Looking Through the Eyes of Onsite Contaminant Monitors

2010-02-19T09:24:27-06:00

Contaminant monitoring instruments (and awareness of their importance) have advanced rapidly in the past two decades.

Valero Energy's Lubrication Transformation

2010-02-19T09:10:01-06:00

Valero Energy’s 950-acre refinery in Paulsboro, N.J., was preoccupied, busy, absorbed with its primary task of converting more than 175,000 barrels of sour crude oil every day into polished lubricant base-stocks, liquefied petroleum gases, gasolines, jet fuels, mid-distillate products, asphalt, petroleum coke and molten sulfur. The management mantra “nothing is wasted from a barrel of crude” was established to underscore the business goals of efficiency, productivity and profitability. Valero paid great attention to the oil products being refined and then sold by the company. However, opportunities existed to upgrade the refinery’s system for purchasing, storing and dispensing oil products for use in production equipment at the site.

How to Control Contamination From Hydraulic Hoses

2010-02-18T07:30:12-06:00

The need for hose replacement is a fairly common occurrence on hydraulic machines. Hydraulic hose fabrication is a big business with plenty of competition and more than a few cowboys running around. So if you own or are responsible for hydraulic equipment, where you source replacement hoses from, and how they're made, cleaned and stored - prior to installation on your machine, warrants your attention.

The hose fabrication process - or more specifically, the hose cutting process - introduces contamination in the form of metal particles from the hose's wire reinforcement and the cutting blade itself, and polymer dust from the hose's outer cover and inner tube.

The amount of contamination which enters the hose during cutting can be reduced by employing techniques such as using a wet cutting blade instead of a dry one, blowing clean air through the hose as it is being cut and/or using a vacuum extraction device. The latter two aren't very practical when cutti

14 Point Checkup for Effective Oil Filtration

2010-02-18T07:27:43-06:00

Are existing full flow filters capable of meeting the equipment manufacturer's specifications or have these filters been replaced with less expensive jobber filters, whose quality and efficiency ratings may be questionable?
Are all lubricants pre filtered before being added to a system?
Are all breathers, filter bypass indicators, external seals and other contamination control devices operating properly, and are they inspected regularly and serviced when necessary?
Are only top quality, specified fluids and lubricants used and are they stored properly in a clean environment?
Are all leaks repaired as quickly as possible, particularly those in dirty environments?
Is the entire system thoroughly flushed and serviced completely, after any major component failure and subsequent replacement is carried out?

Outdoor Lubricant Storage Tip

2010-02-18T07:24:09-06:00

To minimize water and particulate contamination from entering new drums of oil, it is preferred to keep drums indoors and stacked horizontally. However, when it is necessary to store drums outdoors and uncovered, here is a technique that may be used to remove water from the top of a drum:

Attach a paper towel to the top of the drum. In the accompanying photo, a magnetic clip was used. Allow the paper towel to hang over the edge of the drum so that the water wicks through the towel and down the side of the drum. Water will continue to travel from the top of the drum to the ground, so that breathing of water through the bungs is reduced.

Construct This Container - Save Oil

2010-02-18T07:17:47-06:00

We built a container to let us filter and reuse oil when we need to drain a reservoir - typically during an annual reservoir PM. The unit has a pump and motor that runs on 110 volts, holds 275 gallons, and was constructed to be moved with a fork truck.

The oil in the reservoir is pumped into the container through a filter (we use a 6 micron 40CN housing – double-length Parker filter). While the reservoir is being cleaned, the valves on the unit are arranged so the oil is circulating through the filter. After the reservoir is cleaned, the oil is pumped back into it, through the filter. This simple unit has saved thousands of gallons of oil since it was built 20 years ago.

The container has a big door and the

How to Use Fluid Cleanliness Standards to Drive Cost Control

2010-02-16T11:36:09-06:00

In today's competitive economy, businesses are challenged to identify ways to increase profit margins without significant capital investments. For facility managers, cost control can be supported by raising maintenance standards to a Total Level Cleanliness program that controls costs by extending the life cycle of fluids and, in turn, of hydraulic systems that they support.

Facility maintenance professionals can see greater returns on their cost control efforts by working closely with their service providers, such as oil reclamation companies, to establish clear agreements on maintenance practices that support such a program.

Program Benefits
An oil cleanliness program offers several benefits to a facility-wide cost control program. Each benefit produces measurable cost reductions.

1) Reduction in downtime and lost production: We're always in battle again

Lubricant Storage Best Practices

2010-02-14T16:52:16-06:00

A necessary step to achieve lubrication excellence is designing a best-practice lubricant storage and dispensing room.

One plant transformed its lubricant dispensing methods to achieve a world-class lube room. P&G Paper Products in Mehoopany, Pennsylvania participated in the Lube Room Challenge, and its efforts to improve its lubrication program are discussed below.

Figure 1

Before
Shey Sterling, a technician at P&G Paper Products, took on a project to implement best-practice equipment and procedures to improve the lubrication station and to convert the shop into a world-class lube room. Figure 1 shows the original lube room where contamination was abundant, lubricants were not filtered and desiccant breathers were not used.

Figure 2 s

NTZ Micro Filtration Appoints DePauli to Position of Sales Manager

2010-02-12T10:42:35-06:00

NTZ Micro Filtration, a leader in advanced fluid filtration products, announced that it has appointed Christian DePauli to the position of sales manager.

Water-removal Solution Brings Sweet Savings to Cane Processor

2010-02-04T13:25:15-06:00

Central Azucarera de La Carlota Inc. (CACI) is a 93-year-old sugar cane processing company based in Negros Occidental in the Philippines. Recently, the company has been under pressure to improve efficiency due to the impending removal of protective import tariffs, rendering its products non-competitive against cheaper imports. CACI identified the recurring problem of water seeping into the turbine oil as a major cost that could be reduced. During operations, its previous best solution was to replace the oil over and over again. As a result, CACI quickly became one of the largest consumers of oil in the country.

The Rationale For Using Magnetic Particle Collectors

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Let's face it: Machines in industry are largely made of iron and steel. Ferrous metals both encase these machines and bear the brunt of most friction, wear and corrosion. Often, the most critical machine components, parts and surfaces are those that possess the greatest intrinsic strength and wear resistance. In more than 90 percent of the cases, these mission-critical components have iron-based metallurgy. Common examples include cams/followers, gear teeth, shafts/journals, rolling elements and raceways of bearings, pistons and cylinders, mechanical couplings, chain drives, screw drives, and rotors.

As machines age and wear, metal is lost to the lubricating oil or grease. The rate of wear is directly proportional to the growing ferrous particle population in our lubricants and filters. These mobilized wear particles pose even greater risk in causing collateral damage elsewhere in the machine. Common examples include particle-induce

Take a Breather & Learn About Headspace Management

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Headspace management requires a focus on stabilizing the cleanliness and dryness of the environment inside a component's casing. Although this seems like a simple task on the surface, it can be difficult to accomplish on many systems and in many operating environments. To effectively manage a component's headspace, there are three areas to address:

Excluding - Keeping contaminants from entering the system at all
Removing - Having a system in place for removing contaminants that do enter the system or are generated from within
Monitoring - Employing tools to monitor levels of contaminants in order to drive maintenance

Proper execution in these three areas will translate to big gains in machine reliability and extended component life. Though monitoring and removal are important facets of headspace management, I want to focus on exclusion for this Machinery Lu

Our Love/Hate Relationship With the Filter Cart

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Over the years, dozens of articles have been written on the use of filter carts for decontaminating new and in-service oil. Though offline portable filtration for hydraulics or lubrication systems is not a new idea, it would seem that designing a filtration system for higher-viscosity systems is a relatively new thing.

For years, hydraulic shops and parts suppliers have built and sold simple filtration systems made with components intended for hydraulic systems to be used on hydraulic fluid. It all makes sense. Take this hydraulic gear pump, use this hydraulic hose and attach these hydraulic filters, and you get a filter cart built with hydraulic components to filter hydraulic fluid. This has been happening for decades, and with great success. It's easy to clean hydraulic fluid. Its relatively low viscosity makes it easy to push through ultra-fine filtration.

The success on hydraulic systems was so great that people started to imagine what an offline sys

How Contamination Causes Failure in Lubricated Machines

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

If you're a regular reader of Machinery Lubrication magazine, you're no doubt fully aware of the impact that solid contaminants can have on the reliability of lubricated machines. In fact, studies have revealed that as much as 70 percent of all premature machine failures can be attributed to contamination. There are three dominant failure modes: abrasion, erosion and fatigue.

Abrasion
Abrasion - or more correctly termed three-body abrasion when we're talking about particle-induced failure - is the process by which particles trapped between two sliding surfaces cut, score and gouge material from a softer machine surface.

Think about the underside of a CD that has been repeatedly placed shiny side down on a dusty surface and then dragged across that surface. It doesn't take long for scratches to appear on the disc, caused by microscopic dust and dirt particles trapped between the CD and the surface.

Strategies to Achieve and Sustain Dry Oil

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Countless times, I've devoted this column to stressing the virtues of contamination control. With each passing year, we seem to receive more and more user feedback detailing and validating the business case for clean, dry and cool oil. Of course it's one thing to preach its value, but it's quite something else to actually achieve and sustain near-contaminant-free conditions. Therefore, it is this subject that I'll tackle with the current and a few future columns, beginning with exclusion and removal of water.

Keeping Your Machines Water-Tight
You don't have to remove what you don't allow in. Indeed, it's hard to question the logic of controlling water ingression. But because moisture is everywhere, achieving bone-dry through exclusion alone may not be practical or even necessary. Lubricating oils have different degrees of hygroscopicity (water-loving tendencies), making the control of all dissolved water an almost

When a Filter is Not a Filter

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Just like lubricants, filters have a life expectancy, and it’s not indefinite. Users should be aware that there are certain operating conditions that can abruptly alter a filter’s performance and shorten its service life. These events can silently turn what you think is a filter into a non-filter. The unpleasant consequences of most filter failures are particles that get a free ride into sensitive machine components and frictional surfaces, leading to damage and premature failure.

Sadly, most filters used on machines and vehicles have a limited ability or no ability to alert operators and technicians to faulty performance. Some may have pressure-differential (P-D) alarms or gauges, but even these devices can only respond to a fraction of filter-related problems that may occur. Of course, the most common condition to which these P-D indicators alert is a filter that is becoming plugged or is already in bypass. However, they can’t announce warnings for a host of other problems that o

New Technology Changes the Landscape for Varnish Removal

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

For the past 30 years, we’ve tried to maintain cleaner lubricating environments by reducing the pore size in the system filters. For most of us, the prescription was simple. If the particle count and the ISO Code (ISO 4406-1999) are too high, this was interpreted as the filter pore size was too large. This, however, may not be the correct response with many modern lubricants.
New Filtration Technology for a New Contamination Control Challenge
The main full-flow filters must be viewed in terms of their original purpose of controlling particles from damaging frictional surfaces and plugging oil ways and clearances.
Kidney-loop filtration is increasingly common in controlling the fine material buildup and providing particle-count control.

In the past, we thought only of particle count and followed by finding the ingression source. Today, there is a second route for ingress: varnish and oxidation product buildup in the oil.

Filter Analysis Describes the History of Wear

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Across-bar cooler is one of the main pieces of equipment in cement production. It is used for the transport and cooling of clinker, one of the ingredients of cement. Cement kilns operate with a cross-bar cooler which consists of four grates driven by a hydraulic station.

Any pump failures cause downtime and stop cement production. Therefore, it is important for the pump to operate smoothly on continuous basis.

Hydraulic Circuit

Pilot Pump
The pilot pump provides oil flow to the proportional valve which controls the position of the swash plate. It also controls the oil flow from the main pump (axial piston pump) at 22 liters per minute.

Boost Pump
The boost pump refills the main pump with the same amount of oil removed by the shuttle valve to cool the oil. Oil flow is 50 liters per minute.

Main Pump
The main pump consists of an axial piston pump with variable

Air Contamination and Its Effects on a Machine's Reliability

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

In my previous editorial columns, I described the two most infamous killers of machines: particle and water contamination. While instructing a machinery lubrication seminar recently, I was a bit taken back by the lack of knowledge about air contamination and its effects on lubricants and machine components. Thus, I have decided to make it the topic of this discussion.

Air can exist in oil in four different states of coexistence. They include the following:

1. Dissolved – not visible (no clouding present); can represent as much as 10 percent of the total volume.

2. Entrained – unstable microscopic air bubbles (clouding present).

3. Free – trapped pockets of air in dead zones, high regions and standpipes.

4. Foam – highly aerated tank and sump fluid surfaces (more than 30 percent air).

The problems associated with aerated oil include:

Oxidation

Examining an Oil Purification System

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

This article presents, in layman's terms, information regarding a high-speed electrostatic kidney-loop system, designed to remove submicron particles and other foreign matter (varnish) from lubricating fluids. It is a culmination of more than 30 years of research and development, on-site beta testing, and trial and error, and it has resulted in seven electrostatic filter patents.

The problem in promoting electrostatic filtration stems from the lack of understanding of electrostatic principles. It is a complicated subject that encompasses a combination of physics, chemistry and math.

Electrostatic Laws
Electrostatics is the branch of physics that deals with a phenomenon arising from the existence of electric charges. These charges do not move, for they are static. There are a number of laws associated with electrostatics. One of the most important is Coulomb's Law. The princ

Updating Your Sealing Technology

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Last year, I traveled with my wife to Disneyworld in Florida. We spent a week avoiding winter weather in Iowa - a vacation for ourselves this time, not tied to the grandkids. Of course we love our grandchildren, but they wouldn't have been excited to see some of the high-tech attractions three times in a row while skipping Cinderella's Castle altogether. Disney impressed us for reasons based on organization, service and engineering.

We suffered through the minor annoyance of security lines and having to remove our shoes at the Des Moines airport. Although we passed the metal detector, we were reprimanded because our maximum 3.5 ounce (100 gram) liquids were in a one-gallon plastic bag, whereas "the regulations clearly state that they must be in a one-quart plastic bag." Flying to Orlando via Atlanta, our luggage arrived in Florida on a later flight. That, however, was not a problem for Disney's highly efficient in-airport servi

Understanding Oil Fog Generation

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

This article investigates an air breather installed on the oil reservoir for lubricating a gearbox and discusses its capacity to capture the oil fog generating from the reservoir. The author analyzed the root causes of oil fog generation, confirmed its cause to be a repair error from drilling a new hole in a labyrinth seal chamber, and then recommended how to prevent it.

Introduction
A customer complained of a problem with the air breather installed (Figure 1). It could not completely capture the oil fog, although it could greatly reduce the fog escaping from the air breather. Under the air breather, the oil from the fog escaped and collected outside, pooling on the outer top surface of the reservoir within a week (Figure 2).

The field investigation confirmed this condition, and the escaping fog felt oily on the fingertips. While we saw the heavy fog billow out, we asked ourselves what could cause t

Is Air a Contaminant?

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

When we think of contamination in lubricated systems, we often focus on particle and water contamination. The fact of the matter is that there are many other contaminants we should consider and attempt to control. Most contaminants, which include any material not contained in the lubricant's formulation, can potentially damage the oil and the lubricated components. Although air is always present in lubricating oil, it is often justifiable to adopt measures to minimize its presence.

Air can exist in oil in three different states: dissolved, entrained and foam. Air dissolved in oil exists as individual molecules which are similar to CO₂ dissolved in soda water. This type of air is invisible and impractical to detect. Entrained air in oil is comprised of tiny air bubbles suspended in the oil. This type of air contamination is arguably the most damaging, and can be identified by the oil having a cloudy appearance. Although th

Is Your Extended Life Coolant Contaminated or Diluted?

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

The benefits of extended-life coolants (ELC) with organic acid technology (OAT) additive chemistry are many. However, in order to receive those benefits, your fleet must properly maintain the cooling system. Proper maintenance is not exclusive to the shop technicians. Drivers must also understand the impact of their actions, especially when it comes to topping-off.
Benefits
Among the benefits of using ELC is the fact that you can improve the engine's heat transfer rate by 12 to 13 percent over conventional silicated coolants (ELCs do not use inorganic silicates). Over time, conventional coolants with silicates for aluminum protection will build up scale or deposits. Some of that is from the silicate additives or poor-quality water. As these deposits accumulate and build up thicker walls, they reduce heat transfer where it is needed most, in the hottest parts of the engine.

Another benefit seen with ELC is extended water pump life over c

What's Contaminating Your Oil?

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

During the last few months, I've noticed a slight misconception when speaking with clients. When I speak about contamination control, it is typically misunderstood as pertaining only to solid or particulate contamination. In this article, I would like to shed light on another, less mentioned form of contamination: moisture.

States of Coexistence
Moisture is the second-most-destructive contaminant found in machinery, next to particle contamination. Moisture can exist in oil in the following three states or phases:

Dissolved
Contrary to what I was taught, oil and water do mix. The volume of water that will dissolve into the oil depends upon the oil's base stock, condition, additive package, contaminant load and temperature. Typically, new, high-grade oils with minimal additive loads will hold little dissolved water. Conversely, oxidized, lower grade oil that is hea

Managing Water Contamination to Maintain Effective Steel Mill Lubrication

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Moisture is omnipresent in steel mills. It comes primarily from mill cooling water entering the circulating oil system and from simple condensation during mill downtime. Although necessary to reduce the extreme heat generated in the processing of steel, water is among the most destructive contaminants to the circulating oil system. Water can degrade a lubricant in a variety of ways, including dissolution of the water into the oil, the formation of emulsions or simply the presence of free water.

First and foremost, rust occurs when water attacks steel or metal surfaces, and this leads to the formation of iron oxide. Corrosion differs from rust because it occurs when metal surfaces are attacked by acids. Regardless, whether by rust or corrosion or both, the end result is the same: damage to the metal surface. In addition, rust and corrosion prematurely degrade the lubricant performance unless steps are taken to minimize the conditions tha

A New Option For Keeping Your Hydraulic Systems Clean

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Hydraulic equipment users routinely change or clean servo valves. But is that practice really necessary? What are the cost implications? Are there alternatives?

Often, valves are changed because they are stuck in one position or do not respond properly to commands. When the system no longer operates effectively, the only choice is to stop the machine and replace the valve. Unfortunately, changing valves is the norm in some operations, and this expense is rolled into the overall cost.

An electrostatic filtration system is one way to remove contaminants that affect hydraulic system efficiency. Electrostatic filters require physical space in your plant and may not be the optimum solution, depending on the condition of your fluid.

There is another solution: New additive technology for hydraulic oil can reduce the need to frequently clean or change the servo valves. Such technology works to prevent varnish from depositing on critica

How Water Causes Bearing Failure

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Most of us who have spent time in the lubrication field have been told that it takes only a small amount of water (less than 500 ppm) to substantially shorten the service life of rolling element bearings. There is indeed a vast amount of research that supports these assertions. Being a career-long crusader of clean and dry oil, I will certainly not argue the contrary. In fact, water's destructive effects on bearings can easily reach or exceed that of particle contamination, depending on the conditions.

My theme for this column, therefore, is not about whether water imparts harm but rather how it does. Knowing how water attacks and causes damage helps in setting important dryness targets and also aids failure investigations post mortem. Further, when water contamination is unavoidable, understanding these water-induced failure modes can be valuable in the optimum selection of lubricants, bearings and seals for defensive purposes.

Taking Filtration and Contamination Control to a New Level

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

The ease of maintenance and extended service intervals are major selling points for filtration systems. The challenge in achieving these marks of quality lies in developing solutions that will be easy to implement, low-cost and efficient enough to support any proactive maintenance approach.

Contamination of hydraulic fluid by insoluble particles is one of the factors that can reduce the service life of hydraulic components. The rate at which damage occurs depends on the quantity and size of particles present in the fluid. The most dangerous particles, highly abrasive ones, are the ones smaller than five microns.

The most damaging particles are the ones that are relatively close in size to the operating tolerances within the machine. This can range in a hydraulic system anywhere from zero to 100 microns and above. In certain instances where the operating tolerances are greater than five microns, all particles smaller will cause absolutely no damage.

Acid Contamination of Lubricant Breaks Piston Rods

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

I visited a chemical manufacturing plant that used three three-cylinder reciprocating compressors. The machines had a long history (approximately 20 years) of intensive maintenance, but periodically a piston rod would break in one of the compressors. The machine would then be taken out of service and a standby machine put online.

Machinery Details
The double-acting compressor cylinders were placed in a "W" arrangement; the outer cylinders of the "W" were first-stage cylinders and the center one was a second-stage cylinder (Figure 1). The pistons were double-acting with lubricated piston rings. The pistons and gland packings had traditionally been injection lubricated with a mineral compressor oil, but had recently been switched to lubrication with a poly alpha olefin (PAO) type of oil from a small central system lubricator skid.

The switch to t

Using a Centrifuge to Remove Contaminants

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Whether producing weapons, foods, medicines or the wide spectrum of lubricating fluids, centrifuges have successfully performed their superior separating duties for many decades. A bypass centrifugal fluid cleaner falls into one of two broad categories: powered and self-powered.

Powered centrifuges use either a properly sized pump and motor package or a mechanical direct couple that will easily drive the centrifuge when insufficient or no system pressure is available. Self-powered centrifuges use system pressure that may require a suitable regulator to maintain a constant oil supply pressure (85 to 100 psi) if the system pressure is too high for safe operation.

Either way, a centrifuge takes approximately 2 to 10 percent of the total fluid flow from the main circuit, filters the fluid to a high cleanliness level and then returns it to the sump in a continuous loop (Figure 1).

Contamination Control Guidelines

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

This guideline provides a method for an accurate measurement of particle count by pretreating oil samples with kerosene, prior to testing, with an optical light-blocking automatic particle counter. The particle counts are then corrected for the pretreatment and an ISO code is determined for the oil sample.

Table 1. Tooling and Equipment
The Impact of Additive Interference
In certain oils offered by original equipment manufacturers and oil suppliers (mainly diesel engine oils and hydraulic oils), oil additive interference has caused some difficulties in determining new oil cleanliness levels with automatic optical particle counters. Because of this interference, the oil may appear dirtier than its true cleanliness level without additive interference.

The oil pretreatment method described in this article prov

Improving Bearing Housing Protection For Small Steam Turbines

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Lube oil application flaws and contamination are two of the major causes of bearing failures in small steam turbines. Fortunately, modern bearing protector seals can be used to prevent the influx of water (steam) and other airborne contaminants into the bearings, and the seals are readily available. These bearing protector seals incorporate either the face-on-face magnetically closed or the less expensive rotating labyrinth principles. Both choices make economic sense and merit consideration in new and existing (retrofit-to-upgrade) installations.

Figure 1. Contamination Rolling Bearing Life Adjustment Factor a23 vs. Viscosity Ratio v/v1 Ref. 2

Adsorption: A Simple and Cost-effective Solution to Remove Varnish

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Varnish has emerged as one of the deadliest of oil contaminants in industry. Just like heat, particle and moisture contamination, varnish acts as a so-called soft contaminant that severely impacts lubrication and machine reliability.

A major issue is that varnish is known to be smaller than the size ratings of most filters and, therefore, cannot be removed using conventional pore-size related filtration. This article focuses on adsorption - a practical, simple and relatively low-cost solution to varnish removal.

Adsorption is the adhesion of molecules to a solid surface. Adsorptive filtration is the retention of particles to a filter medium by electrostatic forces or by molecular attraction.

For better understanding, it is helpful to address four common myths related to varnish removal.

Myth No. 1
The only technology available to remove varnish is electrostatic separation.
Adsorption media such as cellulos

Determining Fuel Diluents in Lubrication Oils

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

An improperly lubricated engine may suffer from excessive heat, wear and noise, and will often fail if the issue is not resolved. Upon adding a lubricating fluid to an engine, the very operation of that engine begins to impact the functionality of the oil. An example of this is the degradation of lubricating oil by the presence of fuel contaminants such as gasoline, diesel and biodiesel.

Table 1. Equipment

Flash Point Testing
One traditional technique used to determine fuel dilution is flash point testing (D92, D93, D56), which determines the reduction in the flash point temperature due to the presence of lighter hydrocarbon fuel components. However, if the fuel type or type of new engine oil is not known, this technique can report uncertain results. These results are typically recorded as pass/fail or positive/negative. While flash

Improving Reliability With Cooling Face Seals

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Heat effects are the major cause of failure in mechanical face seals used in pumps, mixers, agitators and wherever a rotating shaft passes through the housing of a machine. Improper design, installation or maintenance of seals can lead to overheating and catastrophic failure of a system, endangering the safety of plant operators and posing an environmental hazard as a result of pollution associated with leakage from seals.

This article covers the effectiveness of steps that can be taken to lower any troublesome seal temperature.

Table 1. Typical Properties for Face Seal Materials⁶

Elements of Typical Face Seals
Figure 1 illustrates the basic elements of an inside-mounted mechanical face seal, where the primary ring is located inside the m

Taking Lubricant Cleanliness to the Next Level

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

This article looks at how microscopic particles contaminate lubricants and damage machinery, and recommends methods to improve lubricant cleanliness.

Understanding Filter Efficiency and Beta Ratios

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Filter ratings are an often misunderstood area of contamination control. On several recent occasions, I have witnessed someone describing a filter by its nominal rating. A nominal rating is an arbitrary micrometer value given to the filter by the manufacturer. These ratings have little to no value. Tests have shown that particles as large as 200 microns will pass through a nominally rated 10-micron filter. If someone tries to sell you a filter based on an "excellent" nominal rating of five microns, run away.

Absolute Rating
Another common rating for filters is the absolute rating. An absolute rating gives the size of the largest particle that will pass through the filter or screen. Essentially, this is the size of the largest opening in the filter although no standardized test method to determine its value exists. Still, absolute ratings are better for representing the effectiveness of a filter over nominal ratings.

Effects of Electrostatic Technology

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

The growing use of electrostatic oil cleaners in power-generating stations and paper mills to control varnish and contaminants has prompted interest among lubricant and additive manufacturers, as well as end users about the performance of lubricants in conjunction with these systems.

Figure 1. IGV filter from GE 7FA gas turbine after three weeks in intermittent service before (top) and after (bottom) solvent wash.
Introduction
Turbine oil contamination is more predominant in hydroelectric and steam turbines than in gas turbines because the oil in these units is rarely drained, inadequately filtered (until recently) and often exposed to moisture, bacterial growth, particles, and sludge and varnish buildup within the system. Water represents a real risk to the oil and the equipment and should be aggressively controlled.²

Don’t Just Identify Contamination … Control It

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Does oil analysis prevent machines from wearing or failing? Of course not! Knowing a machine is wearing or that conditions exist leading to machine wear and failure are not factors of prevention. The reason I am making such an obvious point is that I constantly witness plants that go to great lengths to monitor the condition of their equipment, but do nothing to address the problems or else don't understand the presented information. While this problem may occur with many condition monitoring technologies, the focus of this discussion is limited to oil analysis, or more specifically, solid particle contamination.

The Appearance of Particle Contamination … Now What?
As modern lubrication has advanced, many users have become aware of the effects of particle contamination on lubricated machinery. A multi-industry study published by the National Research Council of Canada showed that p

Expanding Reservoir Air Filters

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

In all vented tanks, the rise and fall of fluid levels is offset by a corresponding volume of incoming and outgoing air. Keeping the incoming replacement air clean is essential for contamination control and thus the reliability of hydraulic systems.

While targeting the system's reliability, JLM Systems Limited has developed the OilMiser™ Reservoir Aspirator (ORA) kit. This product represents a complete rethinking of reservoirs and storage tanks vented to the atmosphere. The kit builds on the unique features of the original OilMiser™ FILLorDRAIN™ which, during the initial development, focused on preventive maintenance.

Figure 1. ORA-1000-4100
In the Beginning
Removing uncertainty from any maintenance procedure translates directly into measurable productivity gains such as more predictable act

Today's Varnish Control Technologies

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Varnish formation has been regarded as a costly and dangerous problem for industrial lubricants in various industries such as power generation, injection molding, petrochemical, pulp and paper, and marine applications. So, what remedies are available when your system fluids are found to have high varnish potential or show signs of varnish insolubles? This buyers guide provides basic information on the varnish formation process as well as the associated tests to detect and measure problem severity. It also provides a summary of different varnish removal technologies available in today's market.

Figure 1. Varnish on Spool Valves (Courtesy of Insight Services, Inc.) ²
Process of Varnish Formation
Solid contaminants are often classified as either hard or soft. Hard

Purifier Solves Oil Contamination Problem and Increases Oil Service Life

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

A major textile manufacturer located in the southeastern United States depends on eleven Sullair 400 HP oil-flooded rotary screw air compressors to keep production in its plant running at full capacity. According to the facilities maintenance manager, it is nearly a full-time job for one maintenance technician to perform all the preventive maintenance tasks specified by the compressor manufacturer. Of these recommended tasks, the most time consuming and most costly is changing the compressor's oil and separators at their regularly scheduled intervals. For each of the 11 compressors, the service technician spends most of an eight-hour shift draining and filling each compressor with 55 U.S. gallons (208.2 liters, 452 pounds) of Sullube PAG/POE oil, and then disposing of an equal amount of used, hazardous waste oil and bulky, messy separators.

Are Repair Shops Contaminating Hydraulic Components?

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

We are becoming increasingly concerned with contamination (particles and moisture) of equipment and the need to set cleanliness standards for our oils to achieve better equipment reliability. Whenever you send a hydraulic pump, motor, cylinder, power unit or even hose to a repair shop, there are many areas where contamination can enter your repairs and find its way back into your oil.

Establishing Quality
As part of establishing a quality lubrication program, you should consider the following:

Facility
Ensure the facility is organized, clean and well-maintained. A clean and organized repair shop is usually a contradiction of terms; however, it is crucial for clean repairs. Cleanliness and

The Drive Toward Fluid Cleanliness

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

To those who are beginning the quest for knowledge in oil analysis and machinery lubrication, learning and comprehending terms, concepts and facts that seem like a foreign language can be a major obstacle. As an instructor, I'm always looking for new ways to introduce real-world analogies to help people understand these underlying concepts.

How to properly set and use particle count limits to effectively meet reliability objectives is a concept often misunderstood. Oil analysis users submit samples for particle count analysis each month; unfortunately, many have little idea what targets they should be aiming toward, and how to effectively use them. For a better understanding, consider fluid cleanliness in terms of driving a vehicle.

Ten Things You Probably Didn't Know About Air Contamination

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Anybody who has been in the lubrication field for at least a couple of years has likely been badgered by problems relating to air contamination. Indeed, aeration and foam present many serious reliability concerns which merit immediate attention by machinery maintainers. However, for most people, the causes are too complex to troubleshoot, leaving the root-cause mystery unsolved. Sometimes an oil change provides a suitable remedy, but too often it serves as only a temporary fix. In other words, there is a need to find why it happened.

Laboratory researchers have conducted numerous studies over the years relating to air contamination. From this body of work, we've learned many interesting new facts that help us both diagnose the problem and prescribe corrective actions. Some of these new i

Water Contamination in Hydraulic and Lube Systems

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Water and oil don't mix - it's a well-known adage in the lubrication business. But what exactly does that mean? Yes, water contamination can be problematic, but how can water be measured? Can it be controlled? What are the best options for removing it? This article reviews the detrimental effects water contamination can have on hydraulic and other lubrication systems and explains ways to measure, control and remove water.

Figure 1. Saturation Curve for a Typical Turbine Lube Oil

States of Water
Water can be present in hydraulic fluids and other lubricants as either dissolved, emulsified or free water. The point at which the fluid cannot hold any more dissolved water is called the saturation level. If more dissolved water is present than the fluid can hold, the excess water (or free water) can be present either as a separa

Filtration Cart Amp Draw Problems Solved

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

When considering the purchase of fluid filtering systems for lubricants, it is prudent to consider electrical requirements along with filter system specifications vs. requirements. This helps prevent downtime and delays due to limited existing electrical circuit resources. This review discusses areas of concern as well as a unique solution.

Figure 1. High-viscosity Filter Cart

Electrical Considerations
Typical electrical items to consider in order to minimize difficulties in operating a fluid filtering system should include the following:

Determine the full load amperage requi

Can Contamination Control Be Achieved?

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

In oil analysis, defining contamination is relatively easy. Contamination is a particle in the oil that is not specifically part of the oil itself. Identifying, removing and controlling contamination, however, is not as easy as defining it.

When receiving data for several hundred oil samples, it is common to return more than 85 percent of the oil reports to the customer in an "action required" status for contamination. This contamination varies between excessive levels of cleanliness to water contamination, with the occasional incorrect lubricant used as a top-up. This number suggests a definite problem in relation to contamination control. It is commendable that end users are utilizing an appropriate test slate to monitor for contamination. The problem lies in the following month: again, data for several hundred oil samples, most of which were sampled the previous month due to a 30-day sample interval, and 85 percent being returned in an "action required" condi

Contamination Control Strategies for Planned Oil Cleanliness

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Four Lethal Diesel Engine Oil Contaminants

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Hybrid Spin-on Filters

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00
Conventional engine oil filters effectively remove contaminant particles larger than 40 to 50 microns from the lubricating oil. Some premium filters state filtration efficiency down to 25 microns. The result of the efficiency of these filters is that smaller particles are able to accumulate in the oil, and this is the key reason vehicle oil change intervals remain relatively short. Several studies have concluded that ideal filtration efficiency should include the removal of smaller particulates from lubricating oil, particularly those in the 3 to 10 micron range that can enter into the tight dynamic clearances between moving parts. Such improved efficiency reduces engine wear, increases engine lifespan and improves fuel efficiency. Ultimately, achieving filtration efficiency down to one micron for an extended period of time can extend the oil change interval, but has been available only using bypass filtration units. In industry, there is a need for an oil filter that removes particles down to one

Finding the Solution With a Lube Filtration Skid

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

In large and small plants across the globe, machines wear out daily - breaking down or just becoming too old or obsolete to meet current needs. Hopefully, in our proactive world, we are able to foresee this happening before the equipment dies at our feet.

Procurement
As part of the procurement process, the replacement equipment has already been discussed. Decisions have been made whether to directly replace the equipment or to upgrade and modernize it for future operations. The specifications have been stated, reviewed, and reviewed again. The vendors have been contacted for price quotes. From the beginning, this process may take a year or two for scheduling and budgeting purposes. And the scenario is not unique to production equipment; it may also be true for aging maintenance tools as well.

As lubrication professionals, the first line of defense for maintaining

Filter Flow Rate - the Silent Opportunity

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

In leading maintenance organizations, managers don't shrug off the importance of cleanliness. Instead, we are seeing these companies intrepidly improve fluid cleanliness targets over and over in their quest to enhance machine reliability. However, this practice has led to new challenges relating to both the ability to achieve the new targets and the cost of cleanliness.

Consider this: When you reset your target cleanliness by reducing the ISO Code by one number in each range-number slot, say from ISO 19/16/13 to ISO 18/15/12, then you will have approximately half as many particles in each gallon (or liter) of oil. This will, of course, reduce the number of potential abrasive contacts within your machine by around 50 percent - your goal.

Once you achieve this new cleanliness target (say, with the aid of a portable flushing filter), your system filter will be removing half as many particles as before. After all, a filter can remove only those particles it sees. If you reduce the

It's All About Size

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Understanding how to provide appropriate lubrication for fixed or mobile machinery is important for
effective reliability and the owner’s economic success.

Recognizing the actual clearance size (thickness/depth) of the different types of lubrication films formed between rolling and rotating components is essential for providing proper lubrication. Oil film thickness in machinery is measured in microns (µm), or one millionth of a meter.

Figure 1 shows an electron microscope image of a human hair, which measures 70 to 100 µm or 0.003 to 0.004 inch. The lowest limit of human vision is 40 µm, or about half the size of a human hair. The lowest limit of human touch (sensitivity) is 15 µm or 0.0005 inch.

Figure 1. Human Hair

Table 1 provides lubrication film

No Contamination, No Wear, No Kidding

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

I realize that this statement - No Contamination, No Wear, No Kidding - may not sit well with some readers, such as a few purists within the tribology community. But before anyone gets too excited, let me start by listing my assumptions:

The machine is well designed, manufactured and installed.

It is used in the target application within rated operating parameters (loads, speeds, etc.).

The lubricant is properly selected and produces an oil film (EHL or HDL).

Lubricant levels and change intervals are properly maintained.

Oil analysis and other condition monitoring practices are performed to best practice.

We all know contamination comes in many chemical, physical and radiological states. These forms include invasions such as solids, water, heat, antifreeze, soot, fuel and air. Some contaminants may be electrical while others are microbial. Some may be chemically inert while others are catalytic. Some are dissolve

Compressor Oil Purification Reduces Operating Costs

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Compressed air is often referred to as the "fourth utility", and like electricity, water and natural gas, is critical to most manufacturing operations. The prevalent type of air compressor used today to produce this utility is the oil-flooded rotary screw. These compressors are favored for their low capital cost, yet are quite expensive to operate and maintain. A rotary screw compressor's annual operating costs are a result of high energy consumption, expensive replacement fluids and parts, labor intensive maintenance and repairs, and hazardous waste oil handling and disposal, which typically exceeds its original purchase price.

The Hidden Problem
The hidden enemy of rotary screw air compressors, and the root cause of most of their operation and maintenanc

Reducing Wear Particle Generation

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

A coal-fired power plant operating in the western United States was experiencing short gearbox life in its coal pulverizing operation. The AGMA 6EP (ISO 320) gear oil recommended by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) failed to provide adequate lubrication and protection based on oil analysis results and gearbox inspection after one year of operation. This was confirmed by excessive wear metals and lower viscosity in the used oil reports. Further analysis of the used extreme pressure (EP) gear oil indicated excessive buildup of particulate contaminants in the lubricant and depletion of the EP additive package.

The particulate contamination consisted primarily of dirt/coal dust and metallic particulates being generated by bearing and gear tooth wear, and a chain reaction of excessive wear was taking place.

Reducing the Effects of Contamination on Hydraulic Fluids and Systems

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

At least 75 percent of all hydraulic systems fail due to contaminated or aging hydraulic fluid.¹ Contamination causes aging/degradation of fluids and hydraulic systems failure for numerous reasons. In addition to increasing internal leakage (which lowers the efficiency of pumps, motors and cylinders), contamination decreases the ability of valves to control flow and pressure, thus wasting horsepower and generating excess heat. Furthermore, it causes parts to stick due to sludge or silting, or seize when large amounts of contaminants accumulate in the clearances. Sources of contamination can include the manufacturing process, hydraulic fluids, environmental exposure, system wear and servicing.²

Many military systems rely on hydraulics; therefore these systems are used in every conceivable environment and are among the highest contributors to maintenance and service workloads. This ubiquity is a double-edged sword; the systems' continuous use makes them a common maint

Digging Up a Solution to Fluid Contamination Control

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

The Problem
Mobile mining equipment hydraulic systems are typically exposed to very high solid particle ingression rates. A mine was experiencing premature component failure on its excavator due to high particle contamination. In the first 27 months of operation, costs included four variable speed piston pump replacements ($20,000 per exchange, $34,000 new), three swing motor replacements, two drive motor replacements, numerous servovalve repairs or replacements, 42 hydraulic hose-related problems, and 16 instances of contamination sensors requiring cleaning. The oil was highly contaminated, yielding excess oxidation after 2,255 service hours and needed to be replaced. Other associated costs included excessive unplanned equipment downtime, more than 39 hours, and unplanned maintenance costs.

The machine was not operating reliably and was approaching the end of the warranty period. The goal was to eliminate pre

Deliquescent Breathers:

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Water covers 70 percent of the Earth's surface, with the majority located in oceans, lakes and rivers. Water is necessary for life. Before the Industrial Revolution, water was the primary production force in manufacturing, transportation and agriculture industries, from water wheels to beasts of burden. Of course, this is no longer the case as industry currently relies on high-performance machinery. Most of these machines use oil for lubrication, heat removal and power transmission. Modern essential oil-wetted systems include hydraulics, steam and gas turbines, engines, motors, gearboxes and electrical transformers.

As essential as water is for biological life, it can be devastating for machine life. Along with particles from dirt and wear, water is one of the two most harmful contaminants. Water problems range from corrosion to oil degradation and from plugging gels to flourishing microbial colonies. Minimizing water contamination maximizes per

How to Contain Runaway Reservoir Contaminant Populations

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

While demographers busily count the world's population, manufacturers are fighting against growing particle populations within lube oil and hydraulic systems. Particles and people have little in common except that each has the propensity to increase rapidly in large numbers.

Matching Oil Filtration to Machine Requirements

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Labyrinth Seals and Lip Seals: An Economic Comparison

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

As consumers and manufacturers of all kinds of products, we are often asked to sort out the claims and counterclaims of advertisers and marketers. That’s understandable and will continue in any competitive society. Being informed and focused, and always aiming to “compare apples with apples” is both beneficial and appropriate. A good example of the “apples to apples” axiom is the European technical publication wherein an engineer from the United Kingdom reported on the adverse effects of moisture intrusion on bearing life. He made a reasonable point that users must guard against lube contamination and that bearing protector seals incorporating the rotating labyrinth principle make economic sense.

Here’s a way

Pilot Program to Test microGreen Oil Filter in Fleet Ops

2009-11-04T00:00:00-06:00

TruGreen, the nation's largest lawn care services provider, on November 4 announced that it has been using a microGreen Extended Performance Oil Filter on vehicles in Florida. The company is in the beginning stages of a pilot program that is expected to continue to through March 2010 and is seeing promising preliminary results. The project is expected to reduce maintenance costs while reducing the company's impact on the environment.

As part of the pilot, TruGreen is participating in a microGreen Fleet Adoption Program sponsored by SOMS Technolo

Oil Purification Systems Wins Quality Improvement Award

2009-11-02T00:00:00-06:00

Oil Purification Systems (OPS), a leader in fluid cleaning technology, on November 2 announced that the Connecticut Quality Improvement Award Partnership (CQIA) has recognized the company with its gold level Innovation Prize. OPS was awarded the honor for its Eco-Pur System, the only supplemental filtration system that uses electronic controls to continuously optimize the cleaning process and remove both solid and liquid contaminants from lubricating oil. This is the third consecutive year that OPS has been awarded the CQIA Innovation Prize.

Th

Supplemental Filtration System Uses Electronic Controls

2009-09-16T00:00:00-05:00

Building upon fluid cleaning technology that has been tested and proven in the trucking industry, Oil Purification Systems (OPS) announced the new Eco-Pur System, the first supplemental filtration system that uses electronic controls to continuously optimize the cleaning process and remove both solid and liquid contaminants from lubricating oil. The Eco-Pur allows fleet owners and owner-operators to safely extend oil drain intervals as much as five times, earn a return on investment in as little as 10 months and minimize waste oil for a cleaner environment.

Oil Purification Systems Announces Eco-Pur System

2009-08-21T00:00:00-05:00

Building upon fluid cleaning technology that has been tested and proven in the trucking industry, Oil Purification Systems (OPS) announced August 20 the new Eco-Pur System, the first and only supplemental filtration system that uses electronic controls to continuously optimize the cleaning process and remove both solid and liquid contaminants from lubricating oil. The Eco-Pur allows fleet owners and owner-operators to safely extend oil drain intervals as much as five times, earn a return on investment in as little as 10 months and minimize waste oil for a cleaner environment.

Magnetic Separator Technology Minimizes Compressor Downtime

2009-06-25T00:00:00-05:00

Magnetic separator technology is the key to minimizing compressor downtime. More than 80 percent of centrifugal gas compressors manufactured today are equipped with dry gas seals. Dry gas seals are a non-contact seal with a running gap of approximately 3 to 4 microns in size between the primary and mating seal rings. Buffer gas is used as a sealing and working fluid for the running gap and any contaminants carried into the gap can cause degradation of performance and eventually failure of the seal. Through chemical analysis, Black Powder has been found to be one of the most damaging contaminates in buffer gas causing seal damage.

Inpro/Seal Aims to Increase Reliability, Reduce Rotating Equipment Costs

2009-06-08T00:00:00-05:00

An ongoing interview with David C. Orlowski, inventor of the bearing isolator and president/CEO of Inpro/Seal Company, now appears on the company’s Web site, www.inpro-seal.com.

Conducted by a freelance journalist, the multi-part interview provides significant facts and information on bearing protection through the eyes of its inventor. It goes on to address the evolution of the bearing isolator and the growth of Inpro/Seal Company, the largest producer of bearing isolators in the world.

Air Filtration and Particle Contamination

2009-06-03T00:00:00-05:00

This video featurse a presentation on the basics of filtration. It includes an explanation of different air filtration technologies.

Access this 9-minute, 54-second video by clicking on the link below.

Magnetic Separator Technology Is Solution for Black Powder

2009-05-26T00:00:00-05:00

Black powder, a ferrous contaminant created by internal erosion and corrosion of carbon steel pipelines and operating equipment, causes many operational problems. Black powder ranges from 100 microns and greater to sub-micron sizes, with the majority being ferrous (on average 80 percent) and silica (20 percent). It causes many costly problems for the pipeline and processing industries, such as: degrading of product supplied to the consumer, reduced production values from premature pumps, turbine/compressor component wear and tear, premature wear of transmission lines, plugging of meters and traditional filters and seizing of valves.

Labyrinth Seal Lubrication has Big Maintenance, Productivity Benefits

2009-05-18T00:00:00-05:00

Plant and equipment lubrication is often focused on bearing lubrication, with too little attention paid to seal lubrication. Labyrinth seals provide very efficient sealing of housings, contributing to good bearing life when properly grease purged but if this is not done correctly then maintenance and productivity suffers from bearing failures and production losses. A simple low cost improvement in this area can bring substantial benefits.

Typically labyrinth seals are greased by hand on a routine basis but with relatively long re-lubrication intervals compared to what is needed for efficient sealing outcomes. A

Filtering Water and Contaminants from Oils

2009-05-08T00:00:00-05:00

After receiving issue of U.S. patents for its new industrial filtration technology in September 2008, WaterGuard Technology Products Company boasts the only filter of its kind: a filter that successfully removes water and contaminants from hydraulic and lubricating oils, restoring industrial fluids back to new condition for continued use, saving companies astronomical amounts of money.

Previously, when hydraulic and lubricating oils became contaminated with water or particulate and was no longer considered suitable for further use, it was necessary to dispose of these fluids and purchase new product. WaterGuard filters, with their patented ability to restore contaminated oils back to good condition, replaces the expensive and time-consuming method of yesterday, and has proven to extend the life of all hydro-carbon based industrial fluid, perhaps even, as one Houston company has found, indefinitely.

This popular beer bottling company has been using WaterGuard filters for nearly three years on their bottle labeling machines. They report not changing their oil at all during this time, but simply adding the amount of oil the machine uses. They also report not having the breakdowns they were having on a quarterly basis due to the glue and gunk that developed in their oil before installing WaterGuard filters.

WaterGuard filters are also used as diesel engine fuel filters and on gasoline or gas/alcohol fuel dispensers.

Access this 3-minute, 42-second video by clicking on the link below.

The Causes and Effects of Fluid Contamination

2009-05-08T00:00:00-05:00

A overview of what causes hydraulic fluid contamination, and what the effects are.

Access this 3-minute, 26-second video by clicking on the link below.

An Introduction to Fluid Contamination

2009-05-08T00:00:00-05:00

This video explores fluid contamination in hydraulic systems, and how Ultra Clean Technologies Corporation can help.

Access this 2-minute video by clicking on the link below.

Optimized Diesel Particulate Filter for Low-Temp Regeneration Developed

2009-05-07T00:00:00-05:00

NxtGen Emission Controls Inc. and Sud-Chemie on May 7 announced a lower cost, high-efficiency diesel particulate filter (DPF) optimized for low-temperature regeneration that is attainable by using the proprietary technologies of both companies. The collaborative development effort generated up to 40 percent savings as a result of optimizing the filter with up to 60 percent less precious metal. The announcement was made by Jeremy Holt, president and chief executive officer of NxtGen and Martin Morrill, general manager of Sud-Chemie.

With growing

Oil Purification Systems Receives Environmental Award

2009-05-05T00:00:00-05:00

Oil Purification Systems (OPS), a leader in fluid cleaning technology, announced May 5 that The National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) (www.naep.org) has selected the OPS-1 on-board oil refining system as the 2009 Best Available Environmental Technology. NAEP selected the OPS-1 system based on its ability to help fleet owners dramatically reduce oil consumption, cut oil maintenance costs by as much as 80 percent, and extend equipment life while also minimizing the negative effects to the environment.

Lubricant-Dewatering Demonstrated on Power Plant Turbines

2009-03-13T00:00:00-05:00

Comocri has successfully used MAHLE/NFV OTS technology in two trials to dewater lubricating oils on power plant turbines.

Read the full article from ProcessingTalk.com by clicking on the link below:

Coolant Filtration and Separation System

2009-02-27T00:00:00-06:00

This video provides a background on the Graymills coolant filtration and separation system.

Access this 1-minute, 35-second video by clicking on the link below.

Inpro/Seal Sees Growing Acceptance of Bearing Isolators

2009-02-26T00:00:00-06:00

Inpro/Seal Company, the world’s largest producer of industrial bearing isolators, reports sales for calendar year 2008 were 14 percent ahead of last year and the best in their 31-year history. The results come at a time when other companies are faced with economic turmoil that have forced them to cutback personnel, reduce expansion plans and lower expectations. Based on advance orders, projections, outstanding quotations and product development, they are on track for a 20 percent increase in 2009, headed for another record year.

The Bearing Isolator
In his quest to fin

Used Oil Filter Law Now in Effect in Iowa

2009-02-10T00:00:00-06:00

A new law is now in place in Iowa requiring retailers that sell oil filters to accept used oil filters from customers or post notice of where those used filters can be recycled.

Read the full article from Radio Iowa News by clicking on the link below:

How APT Manufactures Oil Filter Cans

2009-02-03T00:00:00-06:00

This video shows how APT USA manufactures oil filter cans. One can is produced every 2.3 seconds.

Access this 3-minute, 25-second video by clicking on the link below.

Bypass and Reusable Oil Filters

2009-02-02T00:00:00-06:00

A superior way to maintain engine oil quality on high-mileage vehicles is to install a bypass oil filter. This can remove particles and even contaminants from engine oil. Fleet maintenance facilities generate hundreds of used oil filters every year. Managing and disposing of used oil filters can be expensive. An alternative to this is the use of reusable filters. Using reusable oil filters eliminates oil filter waste generation, reduces onsite oil filter inventory, eliminates draining and crushing of used filters, and eliminates waste filter storage and disposal. In most cases, reusable oil filters last the life of the vehicle. The filter is simply removed, cleaned with a parts washer and replaced.

Access this 4-minute, 2-second video by clicking on the link below.

Oil Analysis and Filtration to Extend Oil Life

2009-02-02T00:00:00-06:00

Fleet maintenance facilities generate large amounts of used oil. Most facilities change the oil of vehicles based upon calendar dates and mileage rather than the actual condition of the oil. An oil analysis program will help to determine when an oil change is necessary and reduce costs. The advantages of oil testing include, less used oil generation, less oil use, cost savings, and it can be used as a diagnostic tool. To implement a cost saving oil analysis program, a facility must define baseline information, perform engine oil sampling, and evaluate oil contaminants. Samples are sent out to an oil testing lab. The lab then sends back results. These results may contain clues as to potential mechanical problems before they get too large.

Access this 7-minute, 29-second video by clicking on the link below.

Aluminum Oxide Contamination in Engine Crankcase Oils

2009-01-27T00:00:00-06:00

Aluminum oxide is an abrasive material “glued” to paper to facilitate the remove of surface materials – i.e., sandpaper. It is used in all types of sandpaper such as cloth, disks, tape and sheets. It is used throughout the automotive industry in the aftermarket repair of engine components. Its primary use is to remove old “stuck on” gasket material and smooth surfaces for refitting new gaskets.

Enhancing Proactive Maintenance with Real-time Lube Monitoring

2009-01-13T00:00:00-06:00

To reduce repair costs and minimize losses in productivity, more manufacturing operations are turning from preventive maintenance (maintenance based on a fixed schedule) to proactive maintenance and predictive maintenance (maintenance based on objectively determined need) in order to protect their high-value assets. Condition monitoring of crankcase, hydraulic, motor bearings and gear lubricants plays an important role in the maintenance of equipment including heavy machinery and plant equipment. Currently, lubrication condition monitoring is typically accomplished by taking samples in a prescribed manner and sending the samples to a laboratory for analysis by an array of analytical technologies.

The recent availability of field-portable, rugged and easy-to-use analytical instruments for use directly at the site of manufacturing operations changes how the condition of in-service lubricants can be monitored. These field-ready analytical tools provide users with near real-time information

Filtration Solutions Extend Uptime, Lower Maintenance Costs

2009-01-13T00:00:00-06:00

Uptime is the key at machining plants all around the world, and products that keep the lines moving are worth their weight in … iron.

One Eye Industries (OEI) has been supporting the uptime efforts of major machining companies all over the world for 10 years, and industry uptake is strong with leaders including IPSCO, Propak, Shell and Scami.

Propak
Propak offers engineering, fabrication and construction to the energy-processing industry worldwide. FilterMaster from OEI assists in keeping Propak fabrication on schedule, with FM 4000 scrubbers installed on radial arm drills.

“The cutting fluid used to become so contaminated with micron-sized metal shavings that the pump’s impeller would almost totally erode to nothing. The cutting fluid would stop and pumps would burn out,” said Harris Patterson, maintenance foreman at one of Propak’s Airdrie shops. “There has not been a drill shut down due to cutting fluid problems since we installed the scrub